• DocumentCode
    68355
  • Title

    High-Speed, Enhancement-Mode GaN Power Switch With Regrown {\\rm n}+ GaN Ohmic Contacts and Staircase Field Plates

  • Author

    Brown, D.F. ; Shinohara, K. ; Corrion, A.L. ; Chu, Raymond ; Williams, Albert ; Wong, Joel C. ; Alvarado-Rodriguez, Ivan ; Grabar, R. ; Johnson, Mark ; Butler, Chalmers M. ; Santos, D. ; Burnham, S.D. ; Robinson, J.F. ; Zehnder, Daniel ; Kim, Sun Ja ; Oh,

  • Author_Institution
    HRL Labs., Malibu, CA, USA
  • Volume
    34
  • Issue
    9
  • fYear
    2013
  • fDate
    Sept. 2013
  • Firstpage
    1118
  • Lastpage
    1120
  • Abstract
    We report a novel GaN heterojunction field-effect transistor device that incorporates vertically scaled epilayers, a nanoscale gate with integrated staircase-shaped field plates, and regrown ohmic contacts. This device technology has an unprecedented combination of high breakdown (176 V), low ON-resistance (1.2 Ωmm), enhancement-mode operation (VTH=+0.35 V), and excellent high-frequency performance (fT/fmax=50/120 GHz), which enables new applications as a high-frequency power switch or a microwave power amplifier. The gate design manages the electric field at the drain edge of the gate, which mitigates dynamic ON-resistance degradation.
  • Keywords
    gallium compounds; high electron mobility transistors; microwave power amplifiers; molecular beam epitaxial growth; nanoelectronics; ohmic contacts; power semiconductor switches; semiconductor epitaxial layers; wide band gap semiconductors; GaN; device technology; drain edge; dynamic ON-resistance degradation; electric field; enhancement-mode gallium nitride power switch; enhancement-mode operation; frequency 120 GHz; frequency 50 GHz; gallium nitride heterojunction field-effect transistor device; gate design; high-frequency performance; high-frequency power switch; integrated staircase-shaped field plates; microwave power amplifier; nanoscale gate; regrown n+ ohmic contacts; regrown ohmic contacts; staircase field plates; unprecedented combination; vertically scaled epilayers; voltage 176 V; Gallium nitride; HEMTs; Logic gates; MODFETs; Ohmic contacts; Switches; Voltage measurement; Dynamic ON-resistance; GaN; enhancement-mode (E-mode); field plate; heterojunction field-effect transistor (HFET); molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) regrowth; power switch;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Journal_Title
    Electron Device Letters, IEEE
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • ISSN
    0741-3106
  • Type

    jour

  • DOI
    10.1109/LED.2013.2273172
  • Filename
    6574209